Endoscopic Instrument

Abstract

An endoscopic instrument has a shaft designed in a flexible manner along its longitudinal axis in at least one section. The flexible section of the shaft has a tube-shaped wall made of an electroactive polymer with a plurality of control electrodes and reference electrodes respectively embedded therein. As seen in the axial direction, the control electrodes and reference electrodes are respectively arranged alternately and separated from one another. The control electrodes and reference electrodes alternating in the axial direction respectively have a rigid design and are respectively interconnected in an electrically conducting manner in the axial direction by elastic webs arranged on the outer or inner circumference. A method is also provided for producing a flexible section of such an endoscopic instrument.

1 . An endoscopic instrument ( 2 ) comprising a shaft ( 3 ) designed in a flexible manner along its longitudinal axis (X) in at least one section ( 4 ) of the shaft, the flexible section ( 4 ) of the shaft ( 3 ) having a tube-shaped wall made of an electroactive polymer with a plurality of control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) respectively embedded therein, the control electrodes ( 6 ) and the reference electrodes ( 8 ) being arranged alternately as seen in the axial direction (X) and being separated from one another, and the control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) alternating in the axial direction (X) respectively having a rigid design and being respectively interconnected in an electrically conducting manner in the axial direction (X) by elastic webs ( 14 ,  18 ) arranged on the outer or inner circumference of the flexible section of the shaft. 
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the control electrodes ( 6 ) and/or the reference electrodes ( 8 ) have a plate-shaped design and extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis (X). 
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible section ( 4 ) of the shaft ( 3 ), as seen in a circumferential direction, has at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) activatable separately, in which fields, as seen in the axial direction (X), alternating control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) are respectively arranged. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 3 , wherein the reference electrodes ( 8 ) of the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) are interconnected in an electrically conducting manner. 
     
     
         5 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 4 , wherein the reference electrodes ( 8 ) of the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) respectively situated in one diameter plane are interconnected in the circumferential direction in an electrically conducting manner. 
     
     
         6 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 4 , wherein the reference electrodes ( 8 ) of the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) respectively situated in one diameter plane are interconnected in the circumferential direction in a mechanical manner. 
     
     
         7 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 4 , wherein the reference electrodes ( 8 ) of the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) have a common electrical connection ( 18 ) in the axial direction (X). 
     
     
         8 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 7 , wherein first and second reference electrodes ( 8 ) adjacent to one another in the axial direction (X) are interconnected by an elastic web ( 18 ), which, as seen in the circumferential direction, is connected to a first end of the first reference electrode ( 8 ) and an opposite second end of the second reference electrode ( 8 ). 
     
     
         9 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 7 , wherein the common axial electrical connection ( 18 ) of the reference electrodes ( 8 ) is arranged alternately distributed in the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ). 
     
     
         10 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein the common axial electrical connection of the reference electrodes ( 8 ) is designed as a web ( 18 ) running in a wall of the at least one section embedded in a helical manner. 
     
     
         11 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 3 , wherein two control electrodes ( 6 ) respectively adjacent to one another in the at least two actuator fields ( 10 ) are interconnected by an elastic web ( 14 ), which, as seen in the circumferential direction, is connected to a first end of a first control electrode ( 6 ) and an opposite second end of a second adjacent control electrode ( 6 ). 
     
     
         12 . The endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic webs ( 18 ), which interconnect the reference electrodes ( 8 ), and/or the elastic webs ( 14 ), which interconnect the control electrodes ( 6 ), are arranged on a circumferential side of the control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) situated radially on the inside. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing an endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 first arranging the control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) and the elastic webs ( 14 ,  18 ) connecting these as a structure in a flat plane, wherein control electrodes ( 6 ) and reference electrodes ( 8 ) alternate in a direction of extent of the plane;   subsequently molding the structure into an electroactive polymer; and   then bending the molded structure to form a tube-shaped wall.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising encapsulating the tube-shaped wall by an elastic polymer on its outer side after the bending.